We were just about to exchange contracts for a ground floor flat in Westcombe Park. We have hit a stumbling block. Our mortgage offer with Nationwide Building Society runs out on 4/9/2025 but the sellers are putting forward a completion date of 8/9/2025. Can one extend the loan expiry date?
The person best placed to deal with your question is your solicitors who is in a position to determine if he or she is better off negotiating with the bank, vendor’s lawyers, estate agents or conceivably all parties taking into account the history of your transaction to date.
I am buying a semi-detached house in Westcombe Park. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Westcombe Park you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Westcombe Park.
I used Wolstenholmes a few years ago for my conveyancing in Westcombe Park. Now, I need the documents however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Westcombe Park of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
How does conveyancing in Westcombe Park differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Westcombe Park come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because builders in Westcombe Park usually acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Westcombe Park or who has acted in the same development.
Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Westcombe Park in advance of instructing solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor has said that some lenders will refuse to grant a loan on a flying freehold property.
It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you call us we can investigate further with the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Westcombe Park. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Westcombe Park to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.
My cousin is buying a basement flat in Westcombe Park. He has received a fee estimate by the conveyancer connected to the selling agents totaling £1300 . It was ten years ago since I sold and purchased a house and the fee was £450. Have charges really increased to that extent?
What does the conveyancing estimate include? Is it just for the legal fees, or what you will be paying in total (for instance Westcombe Park searches, land registry fees, etc)